Birmingham schoolboy and Harry Potter lookalike Connor Coughlan has helped to launch a new set of stamps featuring the young wizard.

The nine-year-old, from Wythall, was kitted out with Harry's specs and lightning scar for the photo-call, with giant versions of the Royal Mail stamps.

Connor, who is a pupil at St Alban's Primary School, in Kings Heath, said: "People tell me I look like Harry all the time so when I was asked to be pictured with the new stamps I was very happy. The stamps are excellent, just like the books."

There will be seven First Class stamps printed with the artwork from each edition of JK Rowling's seven books.

They will be available from July 17, ahead of the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which is the final book in the series.

Julietta Edgar, of Royal Mail, said: "We are committed to issuing commemorative stamps that celebrate important themes and occasions central to our way of life.

"There's no doubt JK Rowling's Harry Potter novels, published in dozens of languages worldwide, have made a phenomenal impact on our reading habits."